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By Ray Hickson

Trainer Joe Pride has complete faith in Nash Rawiller’s ability to get the timing right on super sprinter Eduardo but concedes the top hoop will need to strike a “delicate balance” in Saturday’s Group 1 $2.5m Furphy TJ Smith Stakes (1200m).

Trainer Joe Pride (Pic: Bradley Photos)

It’s something Rawiller is well aware of and it will be key to the eight-year-old running out the 1200m at Royal Randwick on a heavy track strongly enough to keep his rivals at bay.

The TJ is often a scene stealer on Day 1 of The Star Championships and 2022 will be no exception with Eduardo and two-time winner Nature Strip clashing again alongside cult hero Shelby Sixtysix, who split the pair in the Challenge, and Masked Crusader, who split them in the TJ and TAB Everest last year, out to recapture his best.

“It’s a delicate balance for Nash,’’ Pride said.

“He’s got to use enough speed to beat Nature Strip but then leave something in reserve for any swoopers. For Masked Crusader or Shelby or whoever it is.”

Eduardo and Nature Strip have met three times at 1200m, all at Royal Randwick, and Nature Strip has finished ahead each time. Below 1200m it’s 4-2 to Eduardo.

Rawiller said he’ll attack the race with no fixed plan, knowing the first half of the race is crucial to how the second half unfolds for him.

“Whether I lead or don’t doesn’t concern me whatsoever. He’s as fast a horse as you’d ever ride,’’ he said.

“But in a race like that it’s having him in his cruising zone, so he’s making them burn a bit of petrol behind me but saving a bit myself.”

Since Eduardo held off Shelby Sixtysix in the Group 2 Challenge Stakes (1000m) a month ago he’s spun around in an 808m trial on his home track winning as he liked.

Everything that’s happened in the past month has been to Pride’s liking and he warns about reading too much into the narrow margin in his second-up win. He was $3.80 with TAB on Friday.

“He’s been really good, it was lovely trial from him the other day,’’ Pride said.

“Wet ground is no problem, everything looks like it’s in place but you need luck.

“(Shelby Sixtysix) met Nature Strip and Eduardo at the right time in the Challenge, coming off a hot speed. This will be a harder test for him but he is going well.”

Pride won the TJ Smith back in 2006 with Red Oog, he’s hoping for a third success in the Group 1 $3m The Star Doncaster Mile (1600m) with Private Eye and Brutality.

Private Eye is chasing the rare Epsom-Doncaster double, last achieved by Happy Clapper in 2017/18, and Pride said the gelding’s second-up fifth behind Forbidden Love in the George Ryder has him on track to peak with the blinkers going back on.

“Rosehill isn’t his track. I’ve taken him there a few times, he races differently and it’s just not his style of track because it’s hard to make up ground there,’’ he said.

“I didn’t mind it as a lead up, I thought it was good enough.”

Villiers winner Brutality will also sport the shades as he backs up from finishing fifth in the Group 3 Doncaster Prelude (1500m) at Newcastle on Monday.

Eduardo wins the Challenge Stakes on March 5

While Pride describes the Doncaster as an ‘ambitious goal’ for Brutality he has no doubt the conditions will give him the chance to produce his best.

“It was decided when he won the Villiers that it was going to be hard to turn our back on a start in the Doncaster,’’ he said.

“People own racehorses to run in races like this.

"At the same time I don’t feel like we’re making up the numbers, he’s a very good Randwick miler. I wouldn’t dream of running him if it wasn’t wet. It will slow the others down.”

Private Eye was $17 with TAB on Friday, Brutality at $31.

All the fields, form and replays for Day 1 of The Star Championships at Randwick